Interconnecting of two separate boards or components has been accomplished by an array of spring test probes installed into receptacles. The probes are press fit into a matrix of holes drilled in a block. The block is mounted to one circuit board with the probes perpendicular to the surface of the board to mate with a device under test or another circuit board to perform functional testing, parametric testing or burn-in testing, for example.
Difficulty in installing the probes in the substrate block and accurate location of the retaining holes increases the cost of producing the block of probes. The blocks are not readily adaptable for more complex applications such as testing with active or passive components coupled to the spring probes. Additionally, the block must fit the application and is therefore not adaptable for other applications not having the same probe pattern or probe number.